The Orange County Sheriff’s Office honored the memory of a deputy who lost his life while in the line of duty 28 years ago.
On May 29, 1996, OCSO Deputy John Joseph Creegan was on patrol in Orange County when he was informed that an 18-year-old driver was heading towards his area in a stolen pickup truck.
According to the sheriff’s office, Deputy Creegan positioned himself and his patrol vehicle on the roadway to help apprehend the driver of the stolen vehicle.
When the stolen pickup truck neared Deputy Creegan’s location, the driver intentionally veered across several lanes and fatally struck him.
The pursuit eventually came to an end when the driver was shot by a deputy, which caused the pickup truck to crash. The driver was paralyzed from the gunshot wound and died several years later.
Prior to joining OCSO, Deputy Creegan spent a year serving the Casselberry Police Department. He was also a United States Navy Veteran.
Deputy Creegan was survived by his wife and three children.
In a social media post on Wednesday morning, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office stated, “We will always remember Deputy Creegan and his dedication to serving Orange County.”